ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Defence strongly condemned Indian defence minister’s recent statement claiming New Delhi would use terrorism to counter terrorism from other countries.

“The Senate Defence Committee in its meeting strongly condemns the provocative and irresponsible statement of the defence minister of India which in reality is tantamount to confession of the government of India pursuing a policy of state sponsored terrorism,” the resolution read.

The Indian minister’s controversial statement and its likely implications were discussed during a meeting presided over by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed at the Parliament on Wednesday.

Terming the Indian defence minister’s statement ‘provocative and irresponsible’ in a unanimous resolution, the committee asked the government to take up the issue with the United Nations Security Council.

The resolution said such an admission that India actually aids and abets terrorism has serious implications for all of India’s neighbours, particularly Pakistan, which being the biggest victim of terrorism in the region, is engaged in a national struggle to combat and crush terrorism.

“Terrorism is the number one threat to our national security and a struggle against which the people of Pakistan, particularly soldiers and civilians, continue to pay a heavy price,” it added.

In light of this public admission by the defence minister of India, the Senate Defence Committee urged the government to take up this issue with the international community, particularly the UNSC, OIC and the European Union.

“Such a dangerous approach by India, whereby it considers terrorism as an instrument of state policy, is a serious threat to peace, security, stability and good-neighborly relations in South Asia and undermines the global war against terrorism and extremism.”

The committee also decided to look into the prospects of Indian spy agency RAW’s hand in destabilizing Pakistan. Further, it agreed that by taking up important issues, the committee has graduated from regular briefings to real oversight.

Further, it was unanimously decided that apart from fulfilling the constitutional obligation of parliamentary oversight, the role of Defence committee is also to promote civil-military harmony.

The committee also adopted its work plan from June 2015 to January 2016 and also decided to hold public hearings on the role of FATA in defence and national security, implementation of National Action Plan and impact of changing regional scenario on Pakistan’s defence and national security.

Visits to CMH to see the soldiers injured in Zarb-e-Azb, laying wreaths at recipients of Nishan-e-Haider on defence day, holding seminar on the completion of 50 years after the 1965 war and media seminars to interact with defence reporters are also a part of the future work plan of the committee.

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